Face Blindness

July 26, 2005
You have trouble remembering names (hint: say the name out loud as part of the greeting to the new person you're meeting). The humorist Dave Barry suggests that everyone should be required to wear nametags at all times. But there... continued

Are Identical Twins REALLY Identical?

July 26, 2005
Years ago, it wasn't considered "PC" for identical twins to be too much alike, despite the fact that they are biologically identical, so sociologists stressed the differences between identical twins who were raised apart. Then later studies showed that identical... continued

To Avoid Bird Droppings Don’t Buy a White Car

July 26, 2005
The next time a big white truck or SUV cuts off your Mini, you can exult in this discovery: a new study shows that birds prefer to drop their poop on white cars, because they associate that color with predators.... continued

Why You Can’t Train a Cat with Chocolate

July 26, 2005
Most dogs love chocolate, even though veterinarians say it isn't good for them, but cats turn up their noses at sweets (as well as that expensive new cat food you bought). Scientists say cats don't have a sweet tooth because... continued

Sea Level Rise Reversal

July 26, 2005
Current estimates indicate that the global sea level is rising due to global warming and glacier shrinkage. Recent scientific studies have shown that a variety of terrestrial ice sources, such as the Greenland ice sheet, the West Antarctic ice sheet... continued

Mystery Disease in China

July 25, 2005
Chinese authorities report that a mystery disease has killed17 people from villages around Ziyang and Neijiang. Atpresent, 12 more people are in critical condition and 27 arestable. 2 have recovered. It appears that all of the farmers had butchered sick... continued

Brutal Heat Stalks Planet

July 25, 2005
Twenty-one people died in Arizona from the heat, and itreached 117 F in Las Vegas, tying a record set in 1942. Nowthe brutal heat has moved east, and triple digittemperatures are expected across the midwest, with heatadvisories in most states... continued

Can We Really Save the Children?

July 22, 2005
Musicians Bob Geldof and Bono may be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the series of Live Aid concerts they've organized to raise money for aid to Africa. They've pledged to wipe out poverty there by raising $50 billion,... continued

Use Your Hands

July 21, 2005
In Italy and Spanish-speaking countries, people tend to "talk with their hands" as well as their voices. If you can't always find the right word, you might want to start doing this too, because new research suggests that gesturing while... continued

West Nile Spreading Across the Country

July 21, 2005
A chicken in Grand Forks, North Dakota has tested positive for West Nile virus, and the disease has also arrived in glamorous Brentwood, California. The chicken belongs to one of the flocks the USDA has placed in various locations around... continued